UAE | Education
Parents complain about cost of school books in Al Ain
Al Ain Education Zone has warned private schools not to force pupils to buy books, notebooks and uniforms from their in-house facilities, saying parents are not under any such obligation under the law.
- By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief
- Published: 23:47 August 30, 2008
- School authorities can not restrict students to use only the books, notebooks and uniforms sold by the respective schools.
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
Al Ain: Al Ain Education Zone has warned private schools not to force pupils to buy books, notebooks and uniforms from their in-house facilities, saying parents are not under any such obligation under the law.
Salem Abdul Aziz Al Khetheri, Director of Al Ain Education Zone, said schools cannot restrict students to use only the books, notebooks and uniforms sold by the respective schools. He has instructed some of the zone's officials to conduct surprise visits and check the situation at the schools.
He said the education authorities have given the school permissions to raise its fees and transport charges due to inflation. Profiteering through hidden methods cannot be allowed, he said.
A number of private schools in the city are currently selling books, notebooks and uniforms to their students in the IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) in preparation for the new academic year.
"Why have the schools been selling books, notebooks and uniforms," said Stephen George, an angry father who was being asked to buy the complete set of books or wait for the part-sale several days later at a private school.
Nusrat Jihan, a mother of a fifth-grade student in the same school, said the teachers and the school administration force parents to buy these items from the schools. Teachers even do not allow notebooks purchased from the market. "Isn't it a clear act of blackmailing?" she said.
Qasim Khan, a father of a 6th grade student, said he had bought a set of books for Dh940. "I was surprised to see the price, but had no other option," he said.
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